Can You Chew Gum During Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is becoming a very popular method of weight loss and health improvement. It involves fasting for a period of time and then eating within a certain window of time. But can you chew gum while fasting? Let’s take a look at the facts.
Does Chewing Gum Break a Fast?
Sugar-free gum minimally affects insulin levels and contains very few calories, meaning that it’s unlikely to break your fast. However, stricter guidelines may still consider sugar-free gum to break the fast. According to Dr. Jason Fung, a leading authority on intermittent fasting and obesity, gum is technically breaking your fast since it is technically “eating”.
The one issue with chewing gum while fasting, Dr. Fung added, is that “gum is usually not recommended because the act of chewing and the taste of the gum can trigger hunger hormones, and make it more difficult to stay in a fasted state”. Since chewing gum is mostly sugar, it is not allowed during prolonged, water, or intermittent fasting. Although it technically breaks the fast, the result is usually minimal.
Is Chewing Gum During Fasting Beneficial?
That’s why I typically recommend a good rule of thumb is to keep your chewing gum to your eating window (if you choose to have it at all). Because of the low amounts of calories in most chewing gums (especially sugar-free gums), chewing gum is unlikely to break your low-calorie fast. Some people even find that chewing gum helps reduce hunger and cravings during a fast.
Final Thoughts on Chewing Gum During Intermittent Fasting
Can I chew gum while fasting? If you’re looking for the quick answer – chewing gum will break your fast. If you’re looking to start intermittent fasting, it’s probably best to avoid chewing gum altogether. That way, you can avoid the risk of breaking your fast and triggering hunger hormones.
That said, if you’re already an experienced intermittent faster and you find that chewing sugar-free gum helps you stay in a fasted state, then it’s perfectly okay to chew gum. Just make sure that you keep it within your eating window and don’t overdo it.
Is it permissible to chew gum while abstaining from food?
The conclusion is that sugar-free gum has a negligible impact on insulin levels and very few calories, making it an unlikely cause of disruption to a fasting period.
Will consuming 5 calories interrupt a fasting period?
Technically, any amount of calories will disrupt a fast. If someone is following a rigorous fasting plan, they should abstain from any food or beverage that has calories. For those on a modified fasting program, they may be able to consume up to 25% of their daily caloric intake while still fasting.
Is chewing gum considered a form of consuming food?
Chewing gum does not contain any essential nutrients and should not be used as a substitute for a healthy, balanced meal.
Do sugarless mints interfere with a period of fasting?
Thus, it is advised to avoid chewing gum and eating mints while fasting.
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